1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a labelling machine for the application of self-adhesive labels spaced at intermediate distances and which are disposed successively on a band-shaped substrate onto a continuously moving strip. More particularly, the machine comprises a peeling and applying unit including a peeling mechanism which peels the labels off the substrate and a transport mechanism which transports the substrate to the peeling mechanism and applies the peeled labels onto the strip.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such machines are used, for example, for applying address labels on letters which are printed as a continuous strip and subsequently cut to length.
The problem with such machines is that the labels are situated on the substrate at a much smaller distance, mostly only 2 to 4 mm, from each other than the distance which must remain between them when they are applied onto the strip which may, for example, be 30 cm.
In known labelling machines, the peeling mechanism is a knife situated directly above the strip, such that the peeled labels directly drop onto the strip where they are pressed on this strip by means of a roller. The transport mechanism consists of a winding mechanism with a driven roller on which the empty substrate is wound up. Consequently, the substrate with labels is wound off from the roll on which it had been wound up and is drawn over the knife.
In these known labelling machines, the aforementioned problem is solved by driving the winding mechanism intermittently and thus winding the substrate successively over a distance and over the knife.
This means that each time a label is to be applied onto the strip, the roll of the winding mechanism during actual application must be accelerated very fast from a standstill up to a circumferential speed to make the speed of the substrate equal to the speed of the strip. The roll of the winding mechanism must move for a short period of time with this speed, and thereafter must come back to a standstill very fast.
This sequence of accelerations and decelerations of the band with labels causes it to be impossible to realize high speeds of the strip. This strip, coming from a printing machine with a speed of 375 m/min, must be decelerated.